As I look over my notes from my last conversation with Pastor R, I once again encourage you not to see the numbers of the newly killed missionaries, as well as the many reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ, as just that…numbers. I pray that these Mideast Updates never become routine reports, just giving an accounting of gains and […]
MIDEAST UPDATE, 8/16/2016
The death toll in Syria is now nearing 600,000 according to some estimates. I have not been able to find any statistics for Aleppo and its surrounding area. The reports coming out of this region of Syria, however, are horrific. Clarissa Ward, a CNN correspondent who has reported on wars for more than a decade, provided a testimony to the […]
MIDEAST UPDATE, 8/6/2016
One of the things I’ve noticed while writing these Mideast Updates for the last 53 months, is that if I am not careful, the updates become “routine” reports. This is a grave mistake because these are not “numbers” being reported, but rather a written record of events and the people who are the subjects of these same events. These people […]
MIDEAST UPDATE, 8/1/2016
In my morning devotion time yesterday I was reading in Philippians. I would like to include a portion at the beginning of today’s Mideast Update: But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, […]
MIDEAST UPDATE, 7/17/2016, Pastor R
Over the past few days, I have had a number of people ask about how Pastor R is doing. As most know, he had endured a brutal attack in which two missionary companions were beaten to death in front of him. Pastor R was also savagely beaten, cut, and left to die a slow and painful death. I do not […]
URGENT MESSAGE
I received a call this morning from Pastor R. He called, asking for special prayer and he would appreciate the prayers of all that have a heart for House of Blessing, their missionaries, and of course, himself. About two hours after he and I spoke on the phone this last Friday, he and two missionary men that were with him were […]
MIDEAST UPDATE, 7/10/2016
As I finish this update, the annual Muslim month of Ramadan ended five days ago. It has now been about two weeks since my last regular update, and 12 days since an urgent appeal was uploaded to this blog. Although there is always great effort put into reaching the lost, there is always a special emphasis and great expectation for […]
MIDEAST UPDATE, 6/14/2016
I suspect I have read the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, known as the Faith Chapter with 15 verses beginning “by faith,” more times in the last four years than I had during my entire life before becoming involved with the House of Blessing. This “faith chapter”, provided a long list of many of the heroes of the faith and why […]
“And Once Again”, MIDEAST UPDATE, 6/12/2016
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. Proverbs 25:25 Stories travel fast in the Middle East when fueled by hope and a hunger for evidence of goodness, or mercy, or, ultimately, loving kindness. When Jesus walked in village or countryside, desert or shoreline, people walked great distances to hear, to see, and […]
HOUSE OF BLESSING: Special Letter
I received a special e-mail from a friend that was at my home with a group of believers when a call came in from Pastor R in Syria. What he had to say was so well put, I thought I should share it. Jake, I feel compelled to write about getting to be apart of one of your calls from […]